Bear Days

It felt like it was 115 degrees here in Norfolk today.  I mean, the weatherman said it was only going to be 90, but I think he was wrong.  I can tell by my now crunchy hair and puffy salt lips.  I went to the zoo this morning with my model friend Lindsay.  She didn't shed one bead of sweat though-just looked completely perfect the whole time.  I, on the other hand had tiny rivers of perspiration flowing down down down my forehead ricocheting off the tip of my nose....I did NOT look fresh the whole day even though I kept applying Clinique pressed powder and lipstick.  I needed a shower by 9:00 am and we hadn't even gotten out the door yet.  We were still in speech therapy....

I did too much today.  I keep saying yes to people.  I have that problem.  I don't want to disappoint anyone and I don't want to miss out on any fun.  This has been an issue since I was a toddler, but it seems to ebb and flow with age.  I have days like today and then I start saying no to people for a few days so I can feel like a normal person again.

I'm really not here to share about my boundary issues, I'm here to tell you some good news about June!  She had her third neurofeedback session today which went perfectly.  She didn't even pull at the wires on her front right lobe or her left ear.  The other exciting thing is that it is WORKING!  Dr. Fly showed me all the areas that little June needs to work on (and she has many).  We determined that before we could move on to the more important areas, we'd have to get her sleep under control.  I didn't realize she had been so sleep deprived over the last two years of her little life.  She hasn't been able to put herself to sleep since she was an infant and over the last few months, things have gotten worse, to where it would take her sometimes two or more hours to fall asleep on her own.  She was also awakening many times in the middle of the night screaming for no reason at all.  Very unlike herself.

So for the past three therapy sessions, we've only been working on sleep, but just after her second session, she fell asleep in the car, then later that night fell asleep on her own and for the first time in months she was able to stay asleep for the entire night.  This has continued for a week and we even went on a camping trip this weekend! Hallelujah!  The only thing we have to do now is train my husband to stay away from her in the middle of the night.  He misses getting his princess and lulling her back to sleep with his deep soothing voice and gentle pats of comfort.


And because she is getting sleep, she is doing some other amazing things.  Just recently, she's been walking around like a bear (she WANTS To walk!):

Thanks for praying along with me about these neurofeedback sessions.  I'm excited to see what God has in store for my sweet little bear.

Just after the camping trip.

Neurofeedback

I am hopeful. Tomorrow I bring little Iva June to her first neurofeedback appointment.  I've researched and heard lots of good things about the journey that we are about to embark on, but I don't really know what the outcome will be.

To catch you up....June received a "brain map" a couple weeks ago, where they placed a snug little cap on her skull, stuck electrodes and goo all over head and measured her brain wave activity. Here she is.

 It was obviously a bit of a struggle to keep her from not ripping the wires off her head, but with Rich's amazing redirecting skills and a couple of strands of mardi gras beads, I am hoping they were able to obtain a reading.  The reading will show us the areas of her brain that are weak and strong, and also, the areas where they will need to place the electrodes for therapy.

Application of goo 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daddy's shoulder is always best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, tomorrow we go to find out the results of the brain map, but more importantly to get June's first neurofeedback session. This is done by a Licensed Family Therapist.  This is not considered a medical procedure, although many neurologists work with therapists who do brain mapping. 

She'll sit in front of a screen that looks very much like a video game.  When her brain does the "right thing", the game will reward her by giving her pretty pictures to look at, color bursts, etc.  I am really stating this in the simplest of terms.  Go here for more:

www.eeginfo.com

In the the meantime, would you pray with me that we see results either quickly or not at all so we know whether or not to continue with this therapy? I am banking on change.  There have been too many things that have lined up so quickly that I know God wants us to explore this....including giving us a friend down the street who will be able to do therapy in her own home with Iva June.  I'll let you know what happens in the next few weeks!